Chinese envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday that Palestine should be part of any peace deal concerning its people and its role should be respected.

The Palestine issue should be resolved on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, the principles of "two-state solution" and "land for peace," Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun said, calling on relevant parties to heed the voice of Palestinian people.

The remarks came days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his long-awaited Middle East peace plan that recognized Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital."

The deal, which Trump calls "deal of the century," caused strong rejections from the Palestinian side. 

After the announcement on Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians held protests in Gaza and the West Bank and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the plan "slap of the century."

Zhang said China supports the "two-state solution" and "land for peace" principles, which it believes represent the bottom line of fairness and justice, and it respects relevant UN resolutions.

Any peace plan regarding the issue should be based on these principles, he added.

It is important to include the Palestinian side in any negotiation regarding their own interest and their voices should be heard, he stressed.

(Cover: Chinese envoy to the United Nations Zhang Jun speaks to reporters at the UN headquarter in New York, January 31, 2020. /CCTV Photo)